Memories Of Light
by AirAang12
Summary: Aang remembers things from his past. He has faint memories of his parents. And is having some troubling thoughts that are making him depressed and reclusive. Katara is worried about him and trys to help him. KATAANG FLUFF!
1. Ch 1: Memories

I can't remember my family. My mother, father, even sisters or brothers are all a fantasy to me… if I ever had them.

Sometimes when I lay in bed while everyone is fast asleep and I myself am drifting away, a strange blurry picture forms in my mind. It is filled with a golden, warm light that shines in your face but doesn't hurt your eyes. And a joyful laughter were I would feel a happiness swell inside me like a big balloon.

Every once in a while I would have this strange feeling of security, that I could not explain. I would hear a soft, beautiful singing that poured over me like molten sunshine, and I would feel warm and cozy as if someone's arms were wrapped around me.  
Then I would smell a soft fragrance of roses tickle my nose and a soft, warm hand gently caress my face.

But then the most wonderful thing would happen, I would always hear a whispery voice say _"I love you….I love you… I love….you…."_ And I would drift to sleep.


	2. Ch 2: Sun's Voice

A little girl sat on the hill and sang to the sun as she did every morning. She would come out before the sun woke and go to her place on the hill and sing in her whispery voice.

"_Silvery voices,  
Golden sunshine,__  
Joyful laughter,_  
_Warmth and love._

_When the day begins and you are still asleep.  
I come atop this hill and sing a song to keep.  
This song that wakes you and helps you start your day,  
I sing it to you so everyone will live and play._

_And you will feel a joy,  
As I wake your golden face,  
As I sing this song,  
You sing along,  
And the world together we'll wake."_

Then she would watch as the sun opened its eyes and woke the rest of the world. She would cry because she had to wait a whole day before she would be able to sing again. For even though she had a beautiful voice she was afraid of other people hearing her.

But even this did not prevent her from being heard by. A little boy who played the flute would follow the girl every morning to her place atop the hill and listen to her sing from a tree. Soon enough he fell in love…


	3. Ch 3: Stranger In our Midst

"Aang!" called Katara" Aang, where are you?"

"Its no use, he won't hear us." said Toph.

"I know, it's just, I really need to talk to him. Something is wrong! He just seems so…"

"Depressed?" suggested Toph.

"Exactly, he hasn't spoken to me all week, and we barely ever see him any more," Katara sighed, "...I miss him."

"Well, we won't find him now, he is probably already…Wait! Did you hear that?"

"What?"asked Katara, she was a little alarmed at the urgency in Toph's voice.

"Shhh…listen" whispered Toph holding a hand up to silence Katara.

The two girls waited in silence for a moment, then they heard a faint rustling of leaves, they looked up into the tree above them, and could barely distinguish a dark shape of a person in the shadows of the tree. But in the blink of an eye the being was gone.

"He went that way!" cried Toph, pointing to the left.

The two girls sprinted down the forest trail catching glimpses of the person as they ran.  
They soon discovered that the person was nothing more then a young boy as he jumped almost weightlessly from tree to tree.  
They followed him till they reached the end of the forest.

"Where'd he go," called Toph furiously, looking around, and searching for vibrations "I can't feel him anywhere!" She was determined to find out who that strange boy was.

"Come on, lets go home," said Katara breathlessly "Aang is probably already there."

The two girls turned around and headed back to camp, looking around to see if they could spot the boy again.  
As they were a few steps from camp, out of the corner of her eye. Katara could swear she saw a large figure gliding in the sky towards camp.


	4. Ch 4: Questions Unanswered

When the two girls arrived at camp, they met Sokka as usual, eating dinner.

"You couldn't even wait for us to start eating?" asked Katara.

"You guys were gone too long! And I was hungry!" said Sokka.

"You're always hungry!" Katara sighed sitting down and taking a bowl of fruits and berries.

"She is right you know." added Toph sitting down beside her.  
Suddenly Aang glided into camp and landed on Appa.

"Were have you been!" cried Toph.  
Katara dropped her bowl, jumped up, and ran over to Aang; practically flinging her hands around him in a tight hug. "I've been so worried abut you!".

"Nice to see you too." gasped Aang. She released him from her tight embrace. She held him at arms length and looked into his eyes, and asked "What's wrong?"

Aang stepped back and looked down, avoiding Katara's eyes and said "Nothing."

"You know I know you better then that." She said putting her hands on her hips.  
Aang blushed "It's nothing… I don't want to talk about it."

Katara eyes widened. She knew that whenever Aang didn't want to talk about something, especially with her, it had to be serious. She and Aang had a special bond; they loved each other like brother and sister, and trusted each other above anybody else. But they also held a warm place in their hearts for each other that they were afraid to admit to.

Katara took his hand in hers and calmly said "Come on, lets go for a walk." Aang blushed at her touch but solemnly agreed with a nod of his head.

"And what about me?" called Sokka.

"Don't you want to eat?" asked Katara, looking back at Sokka. "You can finish my dinner." she added still grasping Aang's hand.

"And what about Toph?" asked Sokka.  
"Hey, I'm good; you guys go and have a little walk. I'll stay here and baby-sit Sokka."

Katara smiled appreciatively.

"Hey I don't need to be…" shouted Sokka, but Toph cut him off and stuffed a banana in his mouth.  
Aang giggled. Katara looked at him and smiled encouragingly. They turned around and walked into the forest, hand in hand.


	5. Ch 5: Bad Thoughts

All was quiet as the two friends walked on the forest trail. Their silence only to be disturbed by the twitter of a squirrel or chirp of a bird. The sun began to set when finally one of the pair asked…

"Aang," Katara asked tentatively, looking up at Aang's lowered head. "I know that something is wrong with you and I want to help, but I can't do that if you won't tell me what's bothering you." She looked up at a tree as a little squirrel ran across the branches.  
"Aang, I know I can help you but you're not giving me a chance. I can't bear to see you so sad, it hurts me." Aang stopped walking and raised his eyes until he met her gaze. Their eyes locked for a moment.

Suddenly Aang sighed and sat down, his face in his hands, shaking his head from side to side as if too get rid of a bad thought.  
Katara sat down next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and gave a feeble smile. Then put his face back in his hands.

"I-I'm not so sure I can answer your question. Because I don't know the answer myself."

"Try your best, Aang, I'm sure I'll understand" she said warmly.

He looked up into her warm, caring blue eyes and knew that whatever he said, whatever he thought, she would understand and she would try and help him.

He sighed and leaned back on his hands "Well, lately I've been having some very strange dreams,"

"You mean some about the avatar state?" Katara asked, looking up at him concernedly.

"No, actually I have no idea what they were about…"

She looked at him curiously waiting for him to continue.

"I dreamt about a girl,"  
Katara bristled.

"And she was an Airbender, she had long dark brown hair and large hazel eyes. And what a voice…" he sighed, and closed his eyes. "She sang like an angel, sent from heaven."

Katara clenched her fists.

Noticing this "Um…Anyway," said Aang snapping back to reality. "She came up every morning to a hill and would sing too the sun."

"She sang to the sun?" laughed Katara, shocked at such a thing.

"Well…umm…." Aang said blushing, he looked away.

"Oh, no Aang I didn't mean it that way" said Katara lifting his chin to her face so she could look him in the eye. "Please don't stop, I want too hear more."

"Ok..." he blushed from being so close to here face.  
"Well, the girl sang a song that would wake up the sun and remind it to rise. But she never sang in front of people."

"Why didn't she sing in front of people if she had such a great voice?"

"She was embarrassed of people hearing her. But one day a little boy heard her sing and came too see her wake the sun. He listened to her sing and was so in love with her voice that he came every morning too listen too her," continued Aang.  
"He knew this girl was shy so when he came too listen to her sing he hid in a tree. He came every day and listened and soon, he…umm…"  
Aang blushed.

"Go on." Katara said, she wanted too hear the rest of the story.

He looked up into Katara's eyes and said "He fell in love with the little girl."


	6. Ch 6: Confessions Are So Hard

Katara paused for a moment trying to take in what Aang had just said.

_Wait, what he just said. No not that, what was he implying when he said… that. Is he serious? Does he mean what I think he means._ Katara blushed at the thought. _Snap out of it Katara! He is the Avatar he probably has a crush on that Airbender girl any way. He is too important for me…_

"Um…S- so why are you so sad then, it sounds like it was a good dream?" Katara stuttered.

Aang left her gaze and looked down at his folded hands in disappointment. 

_How could she not get that! It was so obvious! I love her! How could I make it clearer? Should I just come out and tell her…no, I can't do that. What if I gave her some flowers, or made her another necklace with the words "I love you" carved on the back. Oh, what I'd give to be a mind reader, then I'd know just what to say to make her like me the way I like her._

"Aang?" Aang had been silent for almost a minute now.  
_Is he asleep?_ Katara thought, she bended so she could see his face. Taking a hand from his lap and placing her other hand on top of it.

"Oh, yeah, sorry…." He mumbled, returning from his thoughts.

"I was asking why you are so sad. The dream you had seemed nice."  
She smiled at him kindly, trying to conceal the pain inside her.

"The people in my dream seemed, familiar in a way, as if I had only seen them in a dream but yet I can't remember that dream..." Aang finished quietly. He groaned "All this remembering is making my head hurt." He leaned make on the log they were seated on, closed his eyes and lifted his head up towards the sky.

Katara looked at him, leaning on his hands, eyes closed, looking towards the sky, and the moonlight pouring over his perfect face.

_Wow, I never noticed how handsome his face was, or how smooth his skin is. Oh my, those arrows make him look so...handsome. And his lips, if only I could just touch them…_

Katara extended her arm towards him almost absent mindedly. Aang hearing her movement, turned to look at her, seeing her extended hand, he gave her a puzzled look. Katara immediately drew her hand back blushing deeply.  
She bit her lip "Um… so why is this troubling you?"


	7. Ch 7: My Strength

_That was strange. Why was she trying to touch me?_

"Oh…um…yeah well it's just that in these dreams they remind me a lot about my people and how much I miss them" He sighed.  
"How am I supposed to do it Katara?!" looking up pleadingly at her. "How can I master all the elements in time to defeat the Fire Lord? How do I bring peace back to the world! It's just not FAIR!" He screamed. Standing up suddenly, he started running into the woods. Feet hitting the ground heavily.

Katara followed him, calling for him to wait, but he just kept running. Finally catching up to him.  
"Wait! Aang!" Katara cried breathlessly, after loosing sight of him for a minute. She then heard a sobbing coming from around the bend. She walked around frightened and found Aang sobbing on his knees, in the middle of the trail.  
"Aang, I know this is hard for you, but…"

"BUT WHAT!" he screamed looking furiously at her. She could see his tear streaked face and his eyes red from crying. "How can you help me? How can you teach me what to do! I'll never do it! I can't do it…" He sucked in a shaky breath "I can't hurt you again…"

Katara was so happy that it was dark so Aang could not see her burning red cheeks. _Oh my gosh! I am so stupid!_ She thought.

"Aang," she sat down beside him, putting a soft hand on his shoulder. She could feel his shoulder muscles through his light clothes. Blushing again "I know that what you did at Jeong Jeong was an accident, and I am all healed, there was no damage done, Aang! You must learn Firebending in order to save the world!"  
She was becoming increasingly frustrated. "I know that you did not mean to hurt me and it's OK! Aang, if you can't master Firebending then how can I be proud of my brave, strong avatar?!"  
She let out an audible gasp, and then blushed furiously.

Aang, also blushing said "Ok Katara, if that is how you feel…but I promised!"

"I know you promised but that's all behind us! We need to think about what is happening here and NOW! You can't let the past keep you from moving into the future!" Katara sighed "The world needs the avatar to help restore peace to the world…they need you to do that…and so do I."


	8. Ch 8: Early Riser

Sani walked down her village road towards her home; for she was sure that her mentor would be very worried. She had been recently taken to going off early in the morning and not returning till the light had left the sky and the first few stars were twinkling brightly. Actually, she had always been waking up before dawn, and she could never sleep in because for some reason her body would not let her.  
She would get dressed and ready, then go outside and try to occupy herself while everyone was waking up. One morning, while everyone was still fast asleep she was strolling through the gardens and practicing some airbending tricks that her mentor had taught her and she found herself at the base of the tallest hill in the village.

_Well, why not go and explore up there?_ She thought, _I have never been so high before. Besides, no one is waking up anytime soon._

She climbed to the top of the hill, falling every few feet, recovering with some airbending but growing accustomed to the climb as time wore on. When she reached the top of the hill she gasped, and her eyes widened in awe. She saw a spectacular sunrise, with the bright orange yellow sun, just beginning to creep over the horizon and tint the skies with its warm golden rays.

It was as if she could feel the sunlight fill her up and envelope her in a warm, comfortable embrace. And suddenly, out of nowhere, she opened her lips and let out a beautiful sound. It was like the flow of milk and honey, and the clear as an ice crystal found sparkling in the part-sunlight day. The sound of a thousand angels singing in chorus all combined into one voice. Her voice reverberating off the mountains and back to her, giving her power and joy that made her open her heart even more. Then she sang again, and again until she was practically exploding with energy. Then she stopped and sat down from exhaustion. She lay back on the soft grass and let her thoughts drift away…she soon fell asleep.


	9. Ch 9: The Stars Are Brighter Tonight

Sokka grunted and he rolled over onto his back hitting his head on a boulder. He pulled up his sleeping bag trying to cover his head and block out all sound. He could smell the musty scent of his socks and sweat mixed with the sweet sour scent of his cloths. He groaned and finally decided to go outside to eat. **(A/N: LOL! I'm sorry I couldn't help it.)**

He struggled out of his sleeping bag and threw his boots on, hopping on one foot out of his tent trying to manage his other boot on. He trudged over to the supplies bag and heard Toph grumble and shift in her sleep. He sighed and kept rustling though the pack.

Sokka sat down near the long-died-out fire and munched on a half-eaten banana that Katara hadn't finished earlier. He laid back near the fire and rested his head on the pack as he gazed at the stars, they seemed to be a bit brighter tonight. Sokka's mind began to wander…

_I wonder what it is like to be blind. Can she see my face? Her own? How does she do her long, silky, raven black hair…or how does she dress herself? Does Katara help her? Would she let me?_

Sokka's cheeks tinged red, and he rolled onto his side.

_Where is she? I cant bear it. Ever since she left I have had no one…she is dead and I loved her so much…But I have to move on. That is what Suki would have wanted. I must love another… _

Sokka's gaze lingered subconsciously over to where Toph slept. A single tear slid from his eye. Be took a deep breath to hold back any more tears from escaping his eyes but they continued to flow down his tan cheeks. One tear by one, until his face was almost completely wet and his breathing was short and choked. He covered his face with his hands and continued to sob.  
Then suddenly out of nowhere, a giant line of rocks was sent hurling in his direction. Sokka had a split second to think, but he instantly registered one simple thing "Ouch…" And he was sent hurling into the air and landed right in the middle of a thorny bush. Sokka heard Toph's rock tent open and she quickly strategized her way over to where he was laying helplessly stuck. She gasped and laughed slightly when Toph felt who she had hit. "Hey Snoozles, catching some Z's?"

He blushed and squirmed, crying out in pain when his shirt got caught on a thorn and tore, leaving a long scratch down his forearm. Toph's porcelain face furrowed in concern and her glassy eyes suddenly became worried. She bent over to help him up, but hesitated seeing as in he was much larger then herself and would be very hard to lift, but that wasn't a problem. Toph quickly stepped back, with some jagged hand motions, sent a rock shooting out of the earth, right from under where Sokka rested. Propelling him out off the bush, he stumbled over the dirt and tripped on a stone, which sent him flying head first into the dirt and Toph heard a gruesome crunching noise as he landed face flat on the floor. She flinched almost feeling his pain through the earth and Toph hurried over to him and gingerly helped him up.

Sokka groaned and seemed unable to support his own weight, stumbling a bit as she balanced him on her shoulder. He slumped against her as she carried him over to her tent and Toph laid him down carefully and fell on her knees beside him. Her senses activated and her adrenaline spiked as she sensed two people approaching. Toph quietly got up to go and investigate, but stopped and looked at Sokka who was still mumbling and groaning nonsense in pain. Toph thought twice and slowly made her way back into the tent, closing off the door as she squeezed in next to Sokka. Toph almost had to sit on his lap in order to fit inside the dry rock tent and she blushed crimson when she noticed how warm his body felt beside hers.

Toph hushed her movements and waited in silence for the two people to come into range, to see if she could sense any signs that may help her recognize them. A few more moments of waiting and she heard the distinct voices of a young Airbender, formally known as "Twinkle Toes", and a young woman, known as "Sugar Queen", approach the fire. Toph thought to herself about the two's arrivals timing and grinned mischievously.

_My, they sure are back late…_

"Well, I see Sokka has had his usual, midnight snack." Katara said looking at the banana peel lying by the dying fire. Aang walked towards her until he was at her side, and looked at the trail of rocks Toph had made when she had attacked Sokka.

"That's strange." He exclaimed. "Do you think we should go check on Toph?"

Katara gave him a strange look, as if to convince him Toph wasn't the one who needed checking on.

"Uh… I mean Sokka." Aang blushed and smiled. Katara giggled as she intertwined her fingers with his. "I don't think Sokka would appreciate that."

Toph breathed a sigh of relief, and cuddled up into Sokka's warm chest, closing her eyes, and willing her self to sleep.

"Let's just go to bed…" Katara giggled again and she strutted over to her sleeping bag. As Aang was preparing for sleep, he couldn't help but glance with content gray eyes at Katara as she turned and bended and her slim yet curvy figure, dancing around preparing for bed.  
As her long, elegant braid slid down her back reaching the small of her back. Aang crawled into his sleeping bag after settling it right next to Katara's. She smiled warmly at this as he looked back sheepishly. As they lay there for a while, sharing the same thoughts and staring at the stars. Katara squirmed a bit, and slid ever so slightly closer to Aang.  
Then, again, she nudged closer to him until there sleeping bags were touching and they were cuddled up closely. Katara shifted to her side and stared at Aang with a smile. He looked into her eyes and they seemed to be glowing beautifully in the moonlight.

"Aang…"she whispered. But he already knew, and moved his head and arm to support him as he traced her jaw lightly against her soft skin with his fingertips . Aang rested on the back of her head and Katara leaned forwards, until their lips touched pulling themselves into a slightly passionate kiss. They broke apart and Katara rolled over onto Aang and gave him a hug. "I love you."

A tear slowly rolled down Aang's pale cheek and he smiled at her. "I love you too…"


End file.
